Chelsea come under fire from MP Damien Collins after fresh claims the Blues rapped over sex abuse scandal
The Blues open internal investigation into the late Eddie Heath, their chief scout in the 1970s
CHELSEA will face massive FA sanctions if they are found to have paid hush money to victims of child abuse.
MP Damian Collins yesterday blasted the Blues and the FA over the scandal rocking football.
Collins, the chairman of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said: “The suggestion Chelsea may have paid someone to keep quiet who was a victim of abuse, and allegations the FA was made aware of problems at multiple clubs in the past, build a picture which is not very good for football.
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“We have also discovered today that the FA cancelled a programme looking at child protection it was funding within football for no apparent reason (in 2003).
“All of this suggests people did know there was a problem and they could have — and should have — done more years ago.
“And if they had done, maybe some of the victims of abuse would have been protected.
“Unless we can fully understand what went wrong, how can we be certain that people are safe today?”
FA and Premier League rules state clubs should notify them of any evidence of abuse towards “a child or adult at risk” or face a huge fine if wrongdoing is proved.
Chelsea have now confirmed they are investigating the late Eddie Heath, their chief scout in the 1970s.
The club are alleged to have made a secret payment in the past three years on condition that the victim, his family and lawyers were banned from talking about any alleged abuse.
It is understood the club did not accept liability.
Fourteen UK police forces are now probing allegations of historical child sex abuse in football.
So far police have received 250 reports, while more than 50 calls were made to an NSPCC hotline — set up for sexual abuse victims in football — within hours of its opening.
Last night it was alleged the coach who preyed on former England star Paul Stewart was Frank Roper, who died in Stockport 11 years ago.
FA chairman Greg Clarke vowed to “hunt down the bad people and get them out of the game as quickly as possible”.